The present invention relates to a refuse compactor, and more particularly to a compactor for compacting of wet and/or dry refuse.
Refuse compactors are by now already well known. Generally speaking they have a housing in which a ram is reciprocated by hydraulic means, engaging a load of refuse placed into the housing and pushing it against a rigid surface so that the refuse is compressed and compacted between this surface and the ram which latter is thereupon retracted to permit removal of the compacted refuse. Generally speaking it is desirable in such compactors that the compacting of the refuse by the ram be against a door, so that upon completing of the compaction it is merely necessary to open the door to gain ready access to the compacted package so as to permit its removal. Evidently, the door must be structurally strong because the refuse is compacted against it under the pressure of the compacting ram or plunger.
It is known in the art to use hinged doors for this purpose, providing them with a lateral lock to retain them in closed position during compacting operation. There are two disadvantages to this, namely on the one hand, such doors must usually be manually operated and on the other hand, they cannot be employed for automatic operation, that is for automatic opening and closing. Another type of door which has been considered in this art is the guillotine type but this also is cumbersome in operation, aside from the fact that it requires considerable space for movement between open and closed positions and is difficult to make and to control in its proper movements.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved refuse compactor which does not have the disadvantages outlined above with respect to the prior art.
More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide such a refuse compactor in which the door against which the refuse is compacted need not be manually opened.
Another object of the invention is to provide such a refuse compactor in which the door requires an absolute minimum of space for movement between open and closed positions.
Still a further object of the invention is to provide such a refuse compactor which due to the particular construction and operation of its outlet door, is extremely well suited for automatic operation.
in pursuance of these objects and of others which will become apparent hereafter, one feature of the invention resides, briefly stated, in a refuse compactor comprising a horizontally oriented tubular housing having an open end and a circumferential wall which is provided at said open end at the upper side of the housing with a cut-out resembling a segment of the tubular housing. An inlet is provided for refuse to be compacted, and compacting exerts pressure upon the refuse in the housing in direction axially towards the open end of the latter. According to the invention there is provided a door, mounted at the open end and pivotable to and from a closure position overlying and closing the open end. This door comprises a plate-shaped first portion having a surface facing the open end when the door is in its closure position, and a second portion which projects from the surface at an upper region of the door, being rigid therewith and resembling a segment of the tubular housing which is so dimensioned as to fit in and close the cut-out of the housing when the door is in its closure position.
The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.